Operated on hundreds of people without proper safety precautions

TORONTO — A British Columbia man who’s been dubbed the “Bedroom Dentist” after he set up an illegal dental surgery in the bedroom of a house near Vancouver has surrendered to Toronto police.

Tung Sheng (David) Wu turned himself into police on Saturday and is to appear in court Monday for a bail hearing, Toronto police said in a news release.

Wu, 62, was convicted of contempt of court and sentenced to three months in jail for ignoring an earlier court order to stop practising dentistry without a licence, but B.C.’s College of Dental Surgeons had been unable to locate him. He was convicted in absentia and did not respond to the college’s allegation.

The college uncovered an illegal dental operation in Burnaby this past May, shutting the clinic down and warning hundreds of patients to get tested for blood-borne illnesses such as hepatitis and HIV.

In 2003, a court had ordered Wu to stop practising dentistry without a licence, but B.C. Supreme Court Judge Austin Cullen concluded Wu did not comply.

“There is uncontradicted evidence that the defendant has never been registered with the College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia,” Cullen said as he sentenced Wu last month.

“I accept beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Wu was engaged in the practice of dentistry continuously since the time of the (2003 injunction) until May of 2013.”

Aside from the jail time, Wu was also ordered to pay the college’s legal bills, which so far have cost more than $140,000.

The dental college released a brief statement late Sunday, saying it was “gratified” to hear news of Wu’s arrest and would be watching to see what happens at Wu’s court appearance. The college expected to have more to say on Monday.

Jerome Marburg, the dental college’s registrar and CEO, has previously condemned Wu as someone with “no honour” who preyed on vulnerable patients.

Marburg publicly accused Wu of “taking active steps” to evade the college and the courts.

Tung Sheng (David) Wu is shown in a B.C. College of Dental Surgeons handout photo.

For months, Wu evaded the college’s efforts to find him, including an offer of a $2,000 reward for information about his arrest. He was also the subject of a Canada-wide warrant for his arrest.

The college launched an investigation after a public complaint, which eventually prompted officials with the college and the RCMP to raid the clinic in May.

According to court documents, the living room of the house was set up as a waiting room, with rows of folding chairs to accommodate patients, while the bedroom served as the operating room.

The bedroom was “filthy,” the court documents say, with no source of sterilized water. Investigators did find a sterilizing machine, but it was unplugged and covered in dust.

A search of Wu’s car in August indicated he may have been planning to set up shop again, either in Vancouver or Toronto, the college has alleged.

The college believes Wu performed dental work on more than 450 people.